Anita Bryant, known for her controversial stance on LGBTQ+ rights, as well as her past as a beauty queen, singer, and anti-gay activist, passed away at 84 on December 16, 2024, at her home in Edmond, Oklahoma. Born in Oklahoma in 1940, she first made a name for herself as a pop singer in the 1960s, performing at notable events such as Republican and Democratic national conventions and even singing at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s graveside in 1973.
Bryant was also a familiar face in TV commercials and took the stage at major events like the 1971 Super Bowl. But in the 1970s, she shifted her focus to evangelical Christian activism, becoming one of the most vocal opponents of LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S.
Anita Bryant’s Granddaughter, Sarah Green, Publicly Came Out as Gay in 2021 During an Interview on Slate’s Podcast
Before publicly coming out, Anita Bryant’s granddaughter, Sarah Green, revealed she was gay to her grandmother on her 21st birthday, prompting Bryant to dismiss homosexuality as a “delusion from the devil.” Sarah, the daughter of Bryant’s oldest son Robert Green Jr., later got engaged to a woman, further straining their relationship. Despite Bryant’s long-standing anti-LGBTQ+ activism, Sarah chose to embrace her identity and live authentically.
Bryant made headlines in 1977 with her “Save Our Children” campaign, which pushed to overturn a Miami-Dade County law that banned discrimination based on s*xual orientation. She argued that LGBTQ+ people were asking for “special privileges” and came up with religious and legal reasoning to back her claims. The campaign received national attention, making her a massive name in conservative evangelical circles, but it also deeply upset the LGBTQ+ community and their supporters.
45 years ago today: anita bryant, a singer who became famous for her national “crusade against homosexuality,” was pied on national TV by a gay guy posing as a reporter pic.twitter.com/FVGRPWY11t
— matt (@mattxiv) October 14, 2022
Her notoriety peaked when a gay rights activist hit her with a pie at a press conference—a moment that came to represent the strong backlash against her views. While over 70% of voters sided with her to repeal the law, the county brought it back in 1998 and even expanded protections to include gender identity by 2014.
Anita Bryant’s campaign made a significant impact, including sparking a ban on same-s*x couple adoptions in Florida (overturned in 2010) and supporting the Briggs Initiative in California, which aimed to stop LGBTQ+ individuals from teaching in public schools. The initiative didn’t pass, thanks to activists like Harvey Milk and even then-President Jimmy Carter speaking out against it. While Bryant insisted she didn’t hate LGBTQ+ folks and even started Anita Bryant Ministries to promote “ex-gay” therapy, her words often linked LGBTQ+ identities with pedophilia, which stirred up even more controversy.
Bryant’s personal life was just as rocky as her public career. She split from her first husband, Bob Green, in 1980 after 20 years of marriage, which didn’t sit well with some of her conservative Christian supporters. In 1990, she married her high school sweetheart, Charlie Dry, but he sadly passed away in 2023. Financial troubles hit her hard after the backlash from her activism, even leading to bankruptcy. She admitted at one point to struggling with suicidal thoughts and turning to pills and wine. Despite everything, Bryant stuck to her anti-LGBTQ+ views until her death, stating in a 2011 interview, “I’ve never regretted what I did.”
Amid her controversial legacy, Bryant’s own family showed a sharp contrast to her beliefs. Her granddaughter, Sarah Green—daughter of Bryant’s oldest son, Robert Green Jr.—came out as gay during a phone call with Bryant on her 21st birthday. She shared the story during an episode of Slate’s podcast ‘One Year’ back in 2021.
Sarah hadn’t planned on telling her grandmother but blurted it out after Bryant wished her a happy birthday and said she hoped Sarah would eventually meet the right man. Sarah shot back, “I hope he doesn’t come along because I’m gay.” Bryant’s response was in line with her long-standing views: she dismissed homosexuality as a “devil’s delusion” and urged Sarah to turn to her faith in God, promising she’d discover her true heterosexual self through divine guidance.
Sarah recalled how she used to sing “Jesus Loves Me” on stage with her grandmother, Anita Bryant, when she was a kid, but things have changed a lot since then. She said their conversation felt like a breaking point because Bryant wanted her to fit into a narrow idea of faith and identity—an idea of Sarah that just wasn’t real.
At the time, Sarah Green was engaged to marry a woman, and when Anita found out, her only response was a strained and awkward “Oh,” according to Robert Green Jr. Looking back, Sarah, who was contemplating whether or not to invite Anita Bryant to her wedding, said she felt a mix of pity and hope for her grandmother. She wished Bryant could accept her for who she is, just as much as Bryant hoped Sarah would change to fit her beliefs.
Anita Bryant is finally dead at the age of 84. pic.twitter.com/JF8Lrfsql5
— Pop Flop (@ThePopFlop) January 10, 2025
Today, Sarah’s current circumstances remain unclear, as she keeps a low public profile. But from her interviews, it sounds like she’s owning who she is and moving on with her life, despite her grandmother’s disapproval.
